the only changes should be gordon for gallagher palmers great, but saka when he can run at players is great, he was so often coming inside to the middle off the ball v slovenia, wtf was that about? its like southgate heard the term rotation and took it to the next level if saka has a winger on his opposite side, it wont cause such an imbalance, and it will allow kane to be at his best, scoring from inside the box, he cant stretch defences, hes never had the pace bring palmer on later, to terrorise them gordon is under rated imo, even though i cant stand the ****
Shades of Euro 2016 and Iceland...Recall watching that for 20 mins, then having to hide behind the settee when it went tits-up. And there was Woy Hodgson looking lost just like Joe Biden trying to find a way to get off the stage...Kane taking the corners....WTF... Sunday's got the feel of a 0-0, then extra time and pens.... However, if Southgate grows a pair between now and then and goes for it, then a win is doable. I'd go with a starting XI of: .................Pickford ...Walker, Guehi, Stones, Shaw .....Rice, Bellingham, Mainoo .....Palmer, Kane, Foden If Rice or Bellingham fail to deliver bring on Wharton. Ditto Watkins for Kane. Gordon to come on at some stage.
If memory serves me right Southgate has been criticised previously for running players into the ground during tournaments by not utilising his squad. Dele Ali being a prime example, he looked completely gone against Croatia in the WC semi in 2018. As did a few others I believe. With that in mind I wouldn’t mind Bellingham being dropped/ rested. His last two performances have been awful, apparently he gave the ball away 16 times against Slovenia. Wharton on his debut didn’t give it away once. I expect Mainoo to start alongside Rice in the DP. I’d like to see Gordon on the left and Foden at 10 with Bellingham benched. However, I honestly believe that it’s now the case that Bellingham must start no matter what, which is just plain wrong.
If a Southgate had been in charge in 1966 then Greaves would have been brought back in after his injury as he was a better goal scorer than anyone else and Hurst would have been out again. Who knows what the outcome of that would have been?
Dunno what's happened to Bellingham. First 30 minutes against Serbia he looked his normal majestic self and ever after he's been gash. Wouldn't think benching him was a bad move but there's no way Southgate will. Him or Mainoo next to Rice (who's going backwards anarl - literally and metaphorically). Foden in the middle. Kane tethered to a 20 metre bungee rope hammered into the penalty spot. I'm actually worried about throwing Shaw straight in. Dodgy fitness, not played for months, trained away from the main squad. What could possibly go wrong?
At least we wouldn't have had to depend on the Russian linesman. Unlike Hunt who turned and ran with his hand in the air Greaves would have put it in the net and claimed the goal.
The linesman was not Russian. They would be upset in Azerbaijan where he was such a well known figure they renamed the national stadium after him when he died. He played football for the USSR but that doesn't make you Russian, Stalin was Georgian,
